The Laptop Buying Guide

Part 2. Laptop Components

While laptop and desktop computers have the same major components, in the laptop these also must be smaller and lighter. So, they're especially made for laptops.

The Processor

The Central Processing Unit, is the computer's microprocessor (processor), or more often called the CPU. The processor is the very heart of the laptop. It's the central master regulator. More than any other component, you need a good processor to have a smooth running laptop computer.

The choice between processors is a choice between speed versus cost, balanced with practicality and need.

For most folks, there is no need to use one of the latest power-hungry laptop processors. In fact, unless you have a very specific need for more power, it's best not to use a more powerful laptop processor. More power translates into more battery drain, extra heat, and higher cost.

For everyday work (writing reports, using spreadsheets, eMail) we recommend the use of an AMD 1.6-GHz Mobile Athlon 1900+ or an Intel 1.6-GHz Pentium 4-M.

However, if you intend to use the laptop for graphics-intensive work (games, video or photo editing), then you will need to get an AMC 2-GHz Athlon 64 Mobile (+3200) or an Intel 2.4-GHz Pentium 4-M. Both provide the exceptional processor performance needed for demanding programs.

RAM Memory

Random Access Memory, is often referred to as RAM or memory. RAM Memory is measured by speed and this is measured in megabytes (MB). The higher the number, the faster the computer. Memory is where information is temporarily stored. It is a vital component and helps define how well the system runs and how many programs can operate at the same time (such as receiving eMail, typing a report, and listening to music) If you wish to add more memory later, note that memory is much more difficult to upgrade in a laptop than in a desktop. So buy all you will need, now.

We recommend getting 256 MB of RAM memory if you want to work without slow periods.

Graphics Memory

If you will be making presentations, and you need your laptop to drive an external monitor, you'll need to use shared memory architecture (SMA), also referred to as universal memory architecture (UMA) or dynamic video memory technology (DVMT). In other words, you need to look at "video RAM." To be exact, you'll need 32 or 64 MB VRAM. Either one will do well.

Hard Drive

Sometimes also called hard disk drive or hard disk, the hard drive is the primary storage repository of the laptop. All files, data, and software programs are located here. Storage capacity is measured in gigabytes (GB). One GB is equal to 1,000 megabytes (MB).

Laptops can come with hard drives of 1 to 80 GB. However, most laptops now come with hard drives of 20 to 40 GB. For standard, everyday work (no mammoth database or graphics-intensive programs), we recommend getting a 20 GB hard drive. That's beyond plenty. In fact, most folks won't use more than 10 GB.

An extra feature: If you need to keep your data safe, most laptop hard drives are removable. Be very careful to keep the hard drive from any damage. If it is damaged in any way, your data may be held prisoner. Retrieval of data from a damaged disk can be at best very difficult and expensive.

Other Disk Drives

Besides the hard drive, laptops may come with one or more disk drives. The most common being a floppy drive and a CD-ROM. They can also come with DVD and Zip drives. However, they usually have no more than two bays.

Dealing With The Bays - If you have more drives than bays, the additional drives you wish to use will have to be external drives that plug into the laptop. To do this, it is necessary to switch drives in a bay. There are two ways of doing this:

• Cold-Swappable: With this, you turn the computer off, change drives, and then reboot the computer. (Very inconvenient.)

• Hot-Swappable: With this, you change the drives without turning the computer off. This saves you the reboot. (Much preferred.)

Note Small, thin, and light laptops will often come without any bays! This is one way they can make a laptop smaller, thinner, and lighter. The only internal drive is the hard disk. Therefore, all of your other drives (floppy, CD-ROM, ZIP) will have to be external models that you plug-in as needed. Take this into account when looking at those thin and thinner laptops.

Floppy - The true practicality of the floppy disk has saved it from becoming extinct. They are simply too inexpensive and efficient. Every laptop (except the super-thin) should have one.

CD-ROM / CD-RW - After the floppy drive, the CD provides the most popular kind of supplemental drive. Even inexpensive laptops will have at least a CD-ROM. However, a CD-RW (writable CD) is now standard on many mid- and upper-range laptops. A CD-RW can easily serve as a good means of backing-up your material. (You will back-up your material, right?)

DVD - It is now common to see DVDs on many standard- and mid-range laptops DVD-RWs are also available on some laptops.

Next, in Part 3 you will find more information on the O/S, other laptop parts discussed, and tips and recommendations on selecting the right laptop computer.

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